


All Your Brambles, All Your Creeping Vines

by artificialheaart



Category: IT (1990), IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Amputee Eddie Kaspbrak, Character Study, Eddie Kaspbrak-centric, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, internalized ableism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-11 23:21:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29875566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artificialheaart/pseuds/artificialheaart
Summary: Eddie through the years, and his struggle with sexuality
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Kudos: 15





	All Your Brambles, All Your Creeping Vines

**Author's Note:**

> the mountain goats my beloved ❤️. this is them in the 1990s miniseries

Edward Kaspbrak, 13, asthmatic, anxiety-riddled child, has a problem. His mom’s pulled him inside, away from his friends. She’s telling him not to hang out with his friends.

“Especially not that filthy little Tozier boy.”

“But Ma, Richie’s not-“

“Did you see the way he hugged you? Disgusting, dirty, let’s run you a bath.”

“Yes, Ma.” He didn’t understand. He liked when Richie hugged him. How was that dirty?

Sonia scrubs his hair roughly, Eddie grimaces just slightly, but this is just what happens.

“It’s not okay for other boys to hug you, Eddie-bear. They’ll get you sick. And then I’ll be all alone. Do you understand?”

“Yes, ma.”

“Good. I knew you would.”

Edward Kaspbrak, 23, dutiful son, diligent student, has quite the dilemma on his hands. He kissed a guy a few hours ago, and.. liked it.

He didn’t really know the guy- Brett, just some jokester from the college chess club- but Eddie had stayed late at chess, and so did Brett, and one thing led to another. It wasn’t that he liked Brett, but he did like kissing him. A man. Meanwhile after kissing Myra- some girl from business- in freshman year, he felt like he was going to be sick for hours after. And he was the one who initiated it!

So. This was an issue. He wasn’t...? No, he couldn’t be. That crush on Daniel in junior year was an exception, and it didn’t mean anything that he just.. hadn’t liked any girls. ...shit. Maybe it did.

But being gay was “dirty”, right? That’s what Ma says.

Eddie Kaspbrak, 32, co-owner of a limo company, is in the middle of a huge issue. He just asked Joey- the other owner- on a date.

“Eddie, huh?” Joey gives a dull, baffled sort of laugh. “Kinda weird to call it a date when it’d just be like, a hang out-“

“But it wouldn’t,” Eddie’s hands grip the steering wheel tighter, “It’d be- it’d be romantic-styles. And I know that makes a fucking fag or whatever, but I- I just. I want to try that with you, the cheesy dates, the romcoms, I want that. There’s no one else in my life that comes even close to fitting the bill.” He lets out a sigh.

Joey’s silent for a moment. “Eddie, bud, I love you, man, but I- I can’t be that guy for you.” He pats Eddie’s back. “If it’s any like- consolation, I don’t think you’re a fag, you’re just- just gay, which is news, but.. I don’t think of you any less.”

Eddie sucks in a breath. “Thanks..” a brief pause, “But fag and gay are synonymous.”

“One’s derogatory!”

“They both mean guy that likes guys!”

And they fall back into their regular dynamic, like nothing happened. Romance, clearly, is never going to be okay for Eddie.

Eddie Kaspbrak, 40, single, co-owner of a limo company, and 20 year closet-case, is fucked. He’s rejoined with his childhood friends, and Richie Tozier’s here, and oh god, he’s handsome now, he’s still funny, and Eddie still has it bad for him.

“Eds!” Richie slings an arm around him, “Holy shit, we have some catching up to do. We all do, but.” He gestures to the other losers, who are busy trying to convince Bill to cut his stupid ponytail.

Eddie giggles a little, “Yeah, we do. What’ve you been up to?”

“Uh- yanno. Comedy took off,” Richie gives him a big grin, “Even got my own segment in Cali.”

“Oh, Rich, holy shit! Good job, dude! That’s huge!” 

“That’s what she said.”

Eddie chucks Richie’s arm off him playfully. “I take it back, nevermind, no congrats.”

“Noooo! What will I do now that my one true love doesn’t support my endeavors?” There’s a Voice, some damsel in distress, “I will rot, I tell you. Wither away.”

Eddie cackles a little, ignoring the way his heart just twisted. “But seriously, that’s so good. Proud of you, Rich.”

Richie scratches the back of his neck, grins a bit sheepishly, “Yeah, yeah. Enough about me though, what have you been up to?”

“Oh, nothing big really,” Eddie fidgets with his bracelet, “I started a chauffeuring business with my friend in New York.”

Richie slings his arm around Eddie once more and shakes him, “Not big? Dude, you started a whole business!”

After being shaken, Eddie just sorta rag dolls against Richie, “Aaaughhgg.. thank you...”

“Yeah, of course, Eddie my love,” he switches to some 1950s housewife voice, “What kind of wife would I be if I didn’t support your endeavors?”

“Gah! Richiiie, shut uuuup,” Eddie shoves him, playfully.

“You’re no fuuuun.”

“Boys,” Bev chirps from where they’re still bullying Bill, “we need your vote on Bill’s haircut.”

Eddie Kaspbrak, 40, ten seconds ago impromptu amputee, comedian convincer extraordinaire, has a number of issues.

Richie’s hoisting him to a safer cavern, Bev’s stealing Eddie’s tie to make a tourniquet, using the slingshot as the key, Ben’s following to keep an eye out for anything bad.

“Rich, keep his arm elevated, can you?” Bev instructs, finishing off the tourniquet.

“Yeah, yeah, I can do that,” Richie nods, using his knee to prop up Eddie’s arm, sitting Eddie up against him.

“Uh- guys?” Eddie finally pipes up, “I lied. There isn’t anyone, I’m gay.”

“Okay well your gay arm is off at the moment, so don’t over exert yourself, yeah? We love you.” Richie pats his uninjured shoulder.

Bev and Ben nod in agreement, tell Richie and Eddie to stay put, then go join Bill and Stan in fighting It.

“Okay, okay. You’re gonna be okay Eds,” Richie’s babbling just a little, Eddie feels a bit lightheaded.

“Uh- if it helps any, I’m like- gay, too. Ish. Bi maybe. I haven’t exactly figured it out but dudes are on the table. Don’t like- tell the others though.”

Eddie nods. “Thanks. I got it.”

Eddie Kaspbrak, 42, two years out of his mother’s house, newly-out gay man, has a small problem.

“I don’t know, Bev, I don’t want to overdress,” Eddie’s in LA, digging through his closet, “Is a tie too formal?”

Bev’s watching him pace around, “He said he likes your ties, no?”

“No, he did, I just,” Eddie gestures with his hand, “it’s a date, I’ve never been on like. An actual date, with someone I like. I don’t know how this shit works.”

“Then let him take the lead! He likes you, Eddie. You can’t ‘fuck this up’.”

“If you say so.”

Eddie’s dressed and ready to go when Richie comes to pick him up.

“Hey, Eds. Lookin sharp.” Richie greets when Eddie opens the door.

“I could say the same for you, Rich,” Eddie steps outside and follows Richie to his car. “Oh, wait, hold on,” Eddie runs back inside, grabs some some flowers and thrusts them in Richie’s direction.

“Aw, Eds, for me?”

“No, for your mother. Yes of course it’s for you, dumbass.”

Richie grins and takes the flowers. “You’re too kind.”

“Yeah, yeah.” A pause. “Can we hold hands?”

“Like- in public? I thought you said you were scared of getting hate crimed and whatnot.” Richie tilts his head.

“I changed my mind. Let’s hold hands.”

Richie laughs, and takes his hand, “Anyone who knew you less would ask who are you and what did you do with my boyfriend.” 

But Richie knows him better.

Eddie Kaspbrak, 45, known lover to Richie Tozier, dutiful friend, has a lot to think about. Not that that’s a bad thing, necessarily.

Richie’s head is on his chest, they’re watching some cheesy movie. Eddie hasn’t really been paying attention, he’s too busy toying with Richie’s hair and thinking. They had a nice day today (even if Eddie did eat shit and almost break his glasses while trying to ice skate), and today seems like as good a day as ever to pop the question.

Eddie weighs the option in his mind, and Richie must be able to see the gears turning in his head, because he taps the other a little.

“You okay, Spagheds? Movie get too confusing for ya?” 

Eddie shakes his head, “Nah, just thinking.”

“Knew I smelled something burnin,” Eddie elbows him, Richie laughs a little, “What about?”

Eddie purses his lips. “You- uh-.. hrmh. I know like, legally we couldn’t do it, but uh- you ever think about marriage?”

Richie’s breath hitches a little, he’s quiet for a few moments, “Uh- gosh, Eds, I.. sometimes? Uh- why?”

Now or never, Eddie supposes. He pats Richie’s cheek. “Wait right here.”

Eddie gets up and runs upstairs, digging through his drawer for where he hid the ring box. It’s a simple gold band, with a small garnet stone nestled on top. He comes downstairs to a very confused Richie.

“Uh- I’d planned on doing this sometime later, when I had a speech prepared, and ideally a prosthetic so I could- uh- open the box- but I know that part doesn’t really matter, I’m just being a perfectionist, uh- oh god.” His hand shakes, just a bit, and he kneels as he holds the box out, “Richie Tozier, would you marry me?”

Richie’s nodding before Eddie’s even done talking, he takes his hand, “Yes, yes, I- Eddie, yes of course.” Richie props open the ring, and oh god, the both of them are tearing up. “Eddie... Eds, you picked this out? Can I put it on?” Eddie nods.

Richie slips the ring on, waggles his finger a little, then, with no warning, pulls Eddie into a kiss. Eddie practically melts into it.

When they finally pull apart, Eddie gives him a grin. “Your mustache’s still scratchy.”

“I fucking love you.”

Eddie Tozier, 55, new retiree, wonders what the hell he was ever so worried about. 

Here he is, waking up next to his husband. The sun is filtering through the window, gently illuminating him in a soft golden glow, and Richie is still fast asleep, snoring softly.

He wonders how anyone could ever think a love this soft is wrong, or sick, or twisted, or any of the other ideas his mother and bullies had instilled in him. He loves Richie, and Richie loves him, and that’s all he’s ever wanted.

Yeah, everything’s okay. Everything will be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> artificialheaart on tumblr


End file.
